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5 OPERATING PROCEDURE
WARNING
An EPIRB is a piece of life saving equipment. Its
sole purpose is to call for help. It must only be
used in situations of grave and imminent danger.
Misuse can involve a severe penalty.
5.1 Sinking
If you have a category 1 "float-free" enclosure (see marking on
enclosure label), then if your vessel sinks, the EPIRB will automatically
release itself from its enclosure before it reaches a depth of 4 metres.
The EPIRB will float to the surface and start to operate because its sea
switch is activated.
If possible, the EPIRB should be recovered and tied (using its lanyard)
to the survival craft. An EPIRB is meant to mark survivors, not the
accident scene.
For best operation leave the EPIRB floating in the sea near the survival
craft, as this is the condition for which it was designed and tested.
Note
Satellite coverage at the time an alert is transmitted and, if activated
onboard a ship or raft, overhead obstruction on the ship or raft, may
affect whether and how soon an alert is received by the satellite system.
Fig. 5.1 – EPIRB tethered to liferaft
Operating Procedure
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